Flexible elastic binder.



No. 788,298. PATENTBD APR. 25, 1905. G. T. WHITSETT. FLEXIBLE "BLASTIG BINDER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 7, 1904.

WIT/VESSES: l/Vl/ENTR No. 7er-Lees.

NTTE STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

CHARLES T. VVHITSETT, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FLEXIBLE ELASTIC BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,298, dated April 25, 1905.

Application filed May '7, 1904. Serial No. 206,873.

To @ZZ whom t 717/003/ concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. WHITsET'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Flexible Elastic Binder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to binders for various purposes; andit consists, substantially, in the improvements hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claim.

The invention is applicable to a great many useful purposes; and the objects thereof will be fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with what is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in perspective representing one application of the improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar View representing another application of the improvements. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the binder.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated that my improved binder is adapted for a great many useful purposes, and in the form thereof herein shown I preferably construct the same of a liexible elastic strip having hooks at the ends thereof, each hook being of special construction, as will be presently explained.

While I have herein illustrated a certain preferred-embodiment of my improvements, it will be understood that I am not limited thereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

The device may be readily carried in the pocket, so as to be at hand when required for some of its uses or purposes, and the same is very simple in construction, besides being comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have illustrated my improvements in the form of a binder for supporting or securing in place a cover C of an ordinary bath-tub B, the flexible elastic strip of the binder being designated at l and the hooks at the ends thereof at 2. In Fig. 2 the cover C for the bath-tub is shown as folded or rolled into a bundle, while the flexible elastic strip l is wound spirally about the bundle, so as to be slightly stretched or distended, the hooks 2 being caught upon diag onally opposite corners of the bundle, thus to receive portions of the material of the cover C, between the members of which said hooks are constituted. Each hook 2 is constructed of a single piece of wire doubled at its middle, as shown at 3, and having the two members thus formed twisted together near their extremities at 4f, the terminals of said members being formed into an eye 6, through which one end of the flexible elastic strip 1 is passed or inserted and secured by rivets, eyelets, or other suitable fastenings, as shown in Fig. 3. Each hook 2 therefore consists practically of two bends 5, which are spaced apart at their greatest curvature, but are connected by the middle bend 3 and twist 4C.

A binder of this type when used as a supporting device for the coveringC for a bathtub is extended transversely across the tub substantially midway between the ends of the latter, and the hooks 2 are caught over the rim of the tub at opposite points. The elasticity of the strip l permits the hooks to be slipped over the rim of the tub and then draws the hooks into close engagement with the rim, supporting the cover-sheet securely. When the binder is used upon the bundle formed by folding or rolling the sheet'U, one of the hooks is caught upon one corner of the bundle. as shown in Fig. 2, while the other hook is caught upon the diagonally oppositecorner of the bundle, as already explained, the corner portions of the bundle passing between the bends 5 of the two hooks.

My improved binder may be used in securing wrappers upon bundles, provided the bundles be within certain dimensions, and preferably the binder is to be sold to the trade as a new article of manufacture.

It is obvious that instead of employing the iexible elastic stripl other forms of flexible elastic connections may be employed between the hooks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A binder of the character described, com- IOO 'prising a flexible elastic device having hooks l other from said bends to the twisted portions IO at the ends, each hook being formed of a sinthereof, as and for the purpose set forth. gle piece of Wire doubled at its middle portion In testimony Whereofl have signed my name and having the two members thus formed to this specification in the presence of two sub- 5 Atwisted together near their extremities and at- -scribing Witnesses.

tached to said device, said members diverging CHARLES T. VHITSETr from each other from said middle portion of Witnesses: the wire, and being thence deflected in Wide BAXTER MoR'roN,

inturned bends and converging toward each EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

